Hard formation ocean bottom sampling device



1968 A. M. ROSF'ELDE R HARD FORMATION OCEAN BOTTOM SAMPLING DEVICE 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 28, 1967 70m 82 34 INVENTOR.

ANDRE M. ROSFELDER JOSEPH H. GOLA/VT ATTORNEY NOV. 19, 1968 RQSFELDER3,411,595

HARD FORMATION OCEAN BOTTOM SAMPLING DEVICE Filed June 28, 1967 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.6

Ibo I52 I04 I 3 I40 Fig/0 Nov. 19, 1968 A. M. ROSFELDER HARD FORMATIONOCEAN BOTTOM SAMPLING DEVICE Filed June 28 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5fwVillll I J. /AHWII'IIIIIII"'FIIIII 7 2 United States Patent 3,411,595HARD FORMATION OCEAN BOTTOM SAMPLING DEVICE Andre M. Rosfelder, LaJolla, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States ofAmerica as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed June 28, 1967,Ser. No. 649,751 12 Claims. (Cl. 175--6) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Theinvention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for theGovernment of the United States of America for governmental purposeswithout the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This inventionrelates to an ocean bottom sampling device and more particularly to acore sampling device for penetrating a hard formation ocean bottom andremoving a core sample therefrom.

Description of the prior art Presently, there is a great interest beingdeveloped in the field of oceanography and in attempts to learn moreabout the makeup and consistency of the ocean bottom. However, it isalready known that the soils at the ocean bo.tom vary considerably asdoes the earth that is above Water. As the different types of underwatersoils became known various coring devices have been developed toretrieve undisturbed samples. Three such devices which have beendeveloped to take core samples as illustrated by patents to Venghiattis,3,313,357; Charlton et al., 3,295,616; and Piggot, 2,227,198. While eachof these devices may work in certain types of soils, they have beenfound to be lacking in efficiency and effectiveness when a sample wasdesired in a hard formation. By hard formation it is meant soils such asshales, limestones, sandstones, etc.

The two major problems in taking core samples from a hard formation are(1) developing a sufficient driving force to cause penetration withoutthe necessity of excessively large equipment and (2) developingsufficient force to cause removal of the sample. Venghiattis illustratesa core sampler which achieves bottom penetration from an explosivecharge. However, as constructed the device does not fully utilize thepower of the explosive charge and no provisions are made for pulling thecore sample from the hard formation. Charlton et al. on the other hand,lacks an efficient means to create a force of penetration as they relyentirely on expendable weights which are generally insufficient topenetrate a hard formation or, if of sufficient weight, usuallyunacceptably large in size. Piggot illustrates an explosive charge forachieving penetration and attempts to efficiently use the explosiveenergy by streamlining his apparatus. However, he lacks any arrangementfor effectively encouraging pullout from a hard formation.

3,41 1,595 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 Ice SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Myinvention solves the above disadvantages by providing an ocean bottomsampling device which is an effective and efficient apparatus forpenetrating the ocean bottom and for removing itself therefrom. Theapparatus comprises a sampling tube and a spring means connected to thesampling tube. In addition the device comprises a perforated barrelframe having an upper end and a lower end and a longitudinal bore, thebore opening through the lower end of the barrel; the perforatedsampling tube telescopically disposed within the bore of the barrelframe, the tube having an upper end and a lower end; a sampling tubehead for receiving a driving force to cause penetration of the samplingtube, the head being engaged to the barrel frame within the bore andhaving a bottom end connected to the upper end of the sampling tube; thespring means connected to the sampling tube for upwardly biasing thesampling tube after penetration of the tube in the ocean bottom; and ameans for actuating the driving force.

An object of the present invention is to provide an ocean bottomsampling device which is capable of effective and efiicient penetrationof the ocean bottom as well as pullout or removal from the ocean bottom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ocean bottom samplingdevice which operates reliably in hard formations.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an ocean bottomsampling device which achieves penetration and pullout with relativeease and yet without sacrifice to its area ratio.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description of the inventionwhen considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic partialsection view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a cut-away'partial section view illustrating a stand and adifferent lifting means from that shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the FIG. 1 embodiment just subsequentto the ignition of an explosive element;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic section view of the FIG. 1 embodimentillustrating my core sampling device after it has taken a core sampleand just prior to being pulled out of the ocean bottom and returned tothe surface;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic section view of the FIG. 1 embodimentillustrating my core sampling device returning to the surface;

FIG. 6 is an isometric partially sectional view of an expendable corecutter and the lower end of a sampling tube;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic electrical circuit of a preferred embodimentfor a means for actuating the driving force;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic electrical circuit of another preferredembodiment of a means for actuating the driving force;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic partial section view of another preferredembodiment of an ocean bottom sampling device;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged partial section view of a portion of the FIG. 9embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic section view of the FIG. 9 embodiment duringoperation;

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic section view of the FIG. 11 embodiment duringoperation;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic section view of FIG. 11 embodiment duringoperation;

FIG. 14 is a diagrammatic section view of the FIG. 11 embodiment duringoperation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawingswhere like reference numerals designate like or corresponding partsthroughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 a preferredembodiment of my ocean bottom sampling device. The device comprisesperforated barrel frame which may be cylindrical in shape having anupper end 12 and a lower end 14 with a longitudinal bore 16 extendingfrom the lower end 14 to near the upper end 12. The barrel frame 10 maybe made of any suitable material such as a non-corrosive steel. Alongthe body of the frame may be a multiple series of apertures indicated bythe numeral 18. These apertures may be spaced along the barrel framebody preferably toward the lower end 14 so that any water which may bewithin the bore 16 of the barrel frame may be in communication with theexternal environmental water about the device. An upper portion 19 ofthe barrel frame may be constructed of a substantially solid section soas to act as a breech for an explosive element, the details of whichwill be discussed below.

Connected to the barrel frame for returning the sampling device to theocean surface once it has completed its mission may be a lifting meanswhich may be a float 20 as shown in FIG. 1, or a bail 22 and cable 24 asshown in FIG. 2; the cable 24 on the bail 22 may be connected by anysuitable means such as by fastener 26 while the bail 22 may be connectedto the barrel frame by any suitable means such as bolting or welding.The float 20 may be made of suitable buoyant material such as describedin the Charlton patent wherein they suggest the material Inlyte (:atrade name of General Motors Corporation). The float also may beconnected by any suitable means such as bolting to the perforated barrelframe 10, or by providing suction cups which may attach to the float andto the frame 10.

Slidably disposed within the bore 16 of the barrel frame 10 is aperforated sampling tube 30 having an upper end 32 and a lower end 34.The sampling tube may be made of any suitable material such asnon-corrosive steel. The tube may be constructed in two sections, abottom section 36 being tubular in shape without perforations while theupper section 38 may have perforations in the form of a multiple seriesof apertures which are indicated by numeral 40. The two sections 36 and38 may be threadedly connected as shown and designated by the numeral42. The apertures 40 are for the purpose of com municating any waterwhich may be within the interior 44 of the sampling tube with theexternal environmental water via the apertures 18 in the barrel frame10.

Connected to the upper end of the sampling tube is a sampling tube head48 having a top end 50 and a bottom end 52. The head may be sealablyengaged to the barrel frame within the bore '16 such as by an O-ring 54as shown. The head 48 is adapted to receive a driving force upon its topend 50 to cause penetration of the sampling tube by transmitting thatdriving force to the upper end 32 of the sampling tube. The top end 50of the piston head may have an annular depression for the purpose ofmore efficiently receiving an explosive force, the details of which willbe explained below.

A spring means such as a compression spring 60* is connected to thesampling tube andmay be disposed as shown in FIG. 1 about the samplingtube, one end of the compression spring being connected to the bottomend 52 of the head 48 while the other end may be connected to anabutment 62 formed integral with the barrel frame near the barrels lowerend 14. As shown, the compression spring 60 occupies a space between thebarrel frame 10 and the sampling tube 30 within the bore 16. As is nowapparent, the compression spring contributes a major advantage to mydevice by being compressed as the head 48 is driven downward Within thebarrel frame 10 thereby driving the sampling tube into the ocean bottom.By compressing the spring it becomes biased and upon dissipation of thedriving force the spring will be urged to return to its unbiasedposition. By so returning to its unbiased position the spring will causethe head to be driven upward toward the upper end 12 of the barrel frameand thus will materially aid in removing the sampling tube from a handformation ocean bottom.

The driving force to be received by the head 48 may be at high pressurecaused by an explosion of an explosive element 64 embedded in the upperportion 19 of the barrel frame which, as mentioned, acts as a breech. Ameans for actuating the driving force that is received by the head maytake the form of a combination comprising wires 66 wired to theexplosive element 64 for connecting an explosion initiator which may bea battery 68, the battery in turn being connected to :a switch meanssuch as a switch by a cable 72.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic circuit diagram of a preferred embodimentillustrating an explosive element which may be a squib 64a. Includedwithin the circuity is a battery 68m and a mercury switch 70a. Thisswitch as shown in the FIG. 1 embodiment may hang below the samplingdevice during descent, so located as to tilt upon reaching the oceanbottom; the tilting will cause the mercury to make contact and close thecircuitry thereby firing the squib 64a. It is to be noted that anacceleration switch or any other type of impact switch may be used inplace of the mercury switch. As a safety factor a normally open pressureswitch 73a may be placed within the circuit, the pressure switch beingnormally open under atmospheric pressure but closing at some suitablyhigher pressure so that there is no chance of an explosion while thedevice is being handled upon shipboard. Closure will occur when thedevice descends to the depth at which the suitably higher pressureexists.

FIG. 8 is a circuit view of another preferred embo'diment illustratingan explosive element 6411 which may be a cartridge of any suitableexplosive with a battery source 68b, mercury switch 70b and safetypressure switch 73b. Upon reaching the ocean bottom the tilting mercuryswitch closes the circuit causing a solenoid 74 to be activated toretract a latch 76 which in turn has been restraining a percussion pin78; the percussion pin will then be biased to strike the charge 64bcausing the desired explosion. The circuitry shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 arewell known in the art and any suitable combination of suitable elementsmay be used.

In FIG. 2 is still another actuator which includes a mercury switchmeans 70 mounted to the cable 24 and wired by wires 66' to the explosiveelement (not shown). The switch will remain vertical until the devicecomes to rest upon the ocean bottom and causes a slackening in the cable24. The loss of tension in the cable allows the cable to form a catenarycausing the switch to tilt so as to close internal contacts therein.

As a protection to the explosive element 64 it may be desirable to havea relatively small spacing 80 (FIG. 1) within the bore 16 between theupper portion 19 of the barrel frame and the top end 50 of the headremain sealed. The advantage of having such a spacing is that the charge64 and battery 68 and respective wiring are protected from the normallyharmful sea environment.

may be an expendable core cutter 82, FIGS. land 5, which is attached tothe sampling tube 30 by friction engagement. The advantage of having anexpendable core cutter is that it may be removed from the end of thesampling tube and remain embedded in the hard formation while allowingthe tube to be withdrawn. In addition, if the core cutter 82 is made ofa somewhat larger diameter than the sampling tube as shown in FIGS. 1and 5, less friction will be developed upon the sampling tube wallsduring removal since the hole that was dug upon penetration will be of asomewhat larger diameter than the tube.

Additionally, the lower end 34 of the sampling tube may also be slottedand grooved, such as by slots 84 and groove 86 shown in FIG. 5 so thatthe very end of the sampling tube may act as a core retainer.Experimentations have shown that the combination of slots and a groovecauses the ends of the tube to be bent inwardly thereby effectivelyretaining a core sample; however, it is not completely understood howthis happens though it is speculated that the bending is caused by thereaction to the driving force of penetration which, in turn, tends toheat the end of the tube sufficiently to act together with the strengthweakening groove 86 and slots 84 to cause a bending of the tube after acore sample has been taken. Thus, a core sample is not damaged duringthe crucial penetration period.

The FIG. 1 embodiment may also include a torus shaped weight 88 whichmay be useful if the weight of the corer is deemed insufficient. Theweight 88 may be connected to the barrel frame by a shearable cable 90Which may pass through the apertures 18 and 40 of the barrel frame andsampling tube respectively. Upon activation of the device the downwardmovement of the sampling tube 30 will cause the cable 90 to be shearedso that the weight 88 will not impose any burden upon the device inpulling itself out of the ocean bottom and returning itself to the oceansurface.

It may be desirable when a bail and cable lifting means are used asshown in the FIG. 2 embodiment to also provide a stand 92 comprisingmultiple legs mounted upon gimbals (not shown) and connected to aslidable band 94 about the barrel frame which is adapted to slide from alower shoulder 96 to an upper shoulder 98. Upon lowering, the band 94will be abutting the shoulder 96 until bottom contact is made at whichtime the band 94 will slide upward to the shoulder '98 While the stand92 pivots upon its gimbals to keep the device in a relativelyperpendicular position (relative to the ocean surface). Upon firingshoulder 96 will also limit recoil.

FIG. 9 is another embodiment of my invention comprising a barrel frame100 having a perforation or opening 112 at its lower end and aperforation or opening 116 at its upper end 110; a sampling tube 102having an upper end 122 and a lower end 124 both ends being perforatedor open; a spring means 106; a sampling tube head 104; and a means foractuating the driving force. The barrel frame 100 has a longitudinalbore 108.

A lifting means may be included and comprise a bail 118 and a retrievingcable 120 suitably connected as described for the FIG. 1 embodiment. Thesampling tube 102 is telescopically disposed within the bore 108 of thebarrel frame. Connectedto the upper end 122 of the sampling tube andpreferably integral with this end is the head 104 which is mounted forpiston action within the barrel frame and is adaptedfto receive thedriving force upon a top end 126. The spring means may be a compressionspring 106 connected to the lower end of the barrel frame and disposedto extend downward therefrom such that the spring will contact the hardformation ocean bottom and be compressed while the sampling tube ispenetrating the ocean bottom. As shown, the spring will be disposedabout the sampling tube during penetration of the tube.

In addition to the elements already mentioned, a re- 6 movable andslidable end plate 130 may be added to the combination, the plate havingan inner and outer periphery 134 and 138, respectively, sealably engagedat its outer periphery to the barrel frame near the lower end 114 andat" its inner periphery to the sampling tube. This connection may be byany suitable means such as by friction fitting with an O-ring 132 withina groove in the outer periphery 138 of the end plate while an O-ring 136may be placed within a groove within the inner periphery 134. The endplate as mentioned is removable and slidable and will be removed uponpenetration of the sampling tube.

Formed between the sampling tube 102, the barrel frame (within the bore108), the end plate and a bottom end 140 of the head 104 is a chamber.Being sealed, this chamber is to remain at a low pressure relative theenvironmental sea pressure during descent of the sampling device to theocean bottom. A convenient pres sure would be atmospheric which wouldprobably exist upon the vessel from which the device is lowered. Oncethe sealing elements are in place the pressure within the abovementionedchamber would remain at the initial pressure while the environmental seapressure will rapidly in crease during descent of the device. It is thispressure dif ferential which is created which will provide the mechanismfor a driving force to act upon the head 104 for driving the samplingtube.

The means for actuating the driving force may comprise a passageway 142communicating the top 126 of the head with the environmental seapressure and a valve 144 which is connected to the barrel frame 100 forselectively opening and closing the passageway.

FIG. 10 is an enlargement of the head 104 illustrating its scalableengagement with the barrel frame 100. As shown, the head comprises alarge force bearing surface 126a and a small force bearing surface126]). Each of the surface areas are sealably engaged to the barrelframe 100, the large surface may be sealed by an O-ring while the smallsurface may be sealed by an O-ring 152. During descent of the device theenvironmental ocean pressure will bear against the small surface 126bbut will be counteracted by the ocean pressure also acting upon thebottom end 124 of the sampling tube which will be more than sufficientto keep the sampling tube in the place originally set upon shipboard.This occurs because the area upon which the pressure acts at the bottomend 124 of the sampling tube is greater than the area of the surface126]). Thus, it may be said that the sampling tube is in a balancedcondition. However, once the device nears the ocean bottom the valve 144may be opened such as by the activation of a biased valve spring (notshown) after relieving a restraining force. As shown in FIG. 9, thisforce may be by a weight 156 that relieves the tension in wire 157 asthe weight comes to rest upon the ocean bottom. Upon the valve openingthe large surface 126a becomes subjected to the environmental seapressure which immediately creates a pressure differential, a highpressure on the large surface 126 (126a and 126k) on the top of the headwhile a low pressure will exist upon the bottom end 140 of the head 104.This will cause the head to be forced downward until it abuts againstand ejects the removable end plate 130 (a suitable fluid bumper as shownat 158 may be provided to prevent metal to metal contact) therebycausing the sampling tube to leave the bore of the barrel frame. Theonly connection between the tube and the frame will be by cable 121which also connect to the bail 118. The spring 106 will continuedownward with the sampling tube and will be compressed, one end abuttingthe end plate 130 while the other end of the spring abuts the hardbottom so that it becomes biased; the unbiasing of the spring helping toachieve a pullout of the sampling tube as already discussed for the FIG.1 embodiment. It is to be noted that the use of a balanced sampling tubeallows the use of a smaller valve 144 than would be needed if it had towithstand the pressure on the large surface 126a during descent.

It is to be understood that a buoyant material may be used in place ofthe bail and cable for FIG. 9 embodiment as is shown in the FIG. 1embodiment without changing the inventive concept.

Expandable core shutter 160 may be provided as may a groove and slots inthe bottom of the sampling tube 102 as already explained with regard toFIG. 6.

OPERATION Operation of my device is relatively simple and very reliable.The FIG. 1 embodiment is simply thrown over the side of a vessel forfree fall to the ocean bottom or, in my FIG. 2 embodiment, by loweringmy device by a winch. My device will descend to the ocean bottom untilthe switch means 70 is tilted to activate the explosive element 64,illustrated by FIG. 3. The explosive charge will cause a pressure tobear against the head 48 which in turn will transmit that pressure tothe sampling tube 30 causing the tube to be driven into the oceanbottom. At the same time, the cable 90 is sheared and the weight 88falls to the ocean bottom free of the sampling device. As the pressureis driving the sampling tube into the ocean bottom the reaction force iscausing the float 20 and barrel frame 10 to be driven upwardly. Themovement of the sampling tube downward will be facilitated by theapertures 40 since a certain amount of water will be contained in theinterior 44 of the tube. This water by necessity will have to be removedif the full effect of the explosion is to be utilized; the water mayexit simply by flowing through the apertures 40 into the bore 16 of thebarrel frame and there be transferred through the apertures 18 in thebarrel frame to the environmental sea. The eflicient use of theexplosive force enables the use of a smaller amount of explosives for agiven driving power.

FIG. 4 illustrates the sampling tube at its fully penetrated positionwhich will mean that a core sample will now be within the lower portion36 of the sampling tube and it will mean that the compression spring 60has been. compressed. The compressed spring will tend to unbias itselfby pulling the sampling tube out of the ocean bottom and by pulling thefloat and barrel frame downward. But it is to be noted that the floatand barrel frame have been pushed upwardly by the initial explosive sothat a jerk will occur when the spring becomes fully compressed; thisjerking motion will also facilitate the removal of the sampling tube.With the float providing an upward force and the force of thecompression spring acting to remove the sampling tube, retrieval becomesall the easier by leaving behind the expendable core cutter 82 embeddedin the ocean bottom. An upward movement simply causes the sampling tubeto slip away from the cutter 82. FIG. 5 illustrates my device as itreturns to the surface.

The operation of my FIG. 9 embodiment is very similar to the operationof the FIG. 1 embodiment. During descent the valve 144 is closed and thedevice is as shown in FIG. 11. When the weight 156 reaches bottom andreleases the tension in the wire 157, the valve 144 selectively opens toallow water and thereby the pressure of the environmental sea tocommunicate through passageway 142 to the large surface 126a therebycreating a pressure differential across the head 104. This pressuredifferential will cause the head to be driven downward toward the bottomend 114 of the barrel frame. The same force will be suflicient to causeit to remove the end plate 130 so as to continue to move downwardly as aunit; the end plate 130, the head 104 and the sampling tube 102, FIG.12. The compression spring 106 will be disposed about the sampling tubewith one end coming into abutment with the hard formation of the oceanbottom while the other end is brought downward by the force upon thehead 104 so as to compress the spring during the penetration of thesampling tube, FIG. 13. At the same time, the cable 120 may be reeled inby a winch (not shown) upon a surface vessel while the spring has atendency to go from its biased compressed position to an unbiasedposition contributing to the pullout force upon the tube.

In addition the expendable core cutter may operate as already describedfor the FIG. 1 embodiment to also help in removing the sampling tubefrom the hard formation ocean bottom. FIG. 14 illustrates my device asit returns to the surface.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A hard formation ocean bottom penetration sampling apparatuscomprising:

an elongated sampling tube having an upper end and a lower end; and

a spring means connected to the sampling tube for upwardly biasing thesampling tube after penetration of the tube into the ocean bottom.

2. A hard formation ocean bottom penetration sampling apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 including:

an expendable core cutter connected to the lower end of the samplingtube during penetration of the sampling tube and separated from thesampling tube upon removal of the tube from the ocean bottom;

a sampling tube head connected to the upper end of the sampling tube forreceiving a driving force to cause penetration of the sampling tube; andwherein said spring means is a compression spring disposed about thesampling tube and having two ends, one end connected to the head, theother end connected to a frame.

3. A hard formation ocean bottom penetration sampling apparatus asclaimed in claim 1 including:

an expendable core cutter connected to the lower end of the samplingtube during penetration of the sampling tube and separated from thesampling tube upon removal of the tube from the ocean bottom;

a sampling tube head connected to the upper end of the sampling tube forreceiving a driving force to cause penetration of the sampling tube; andwherein said spring is a compression spring having two ends, one endconnected to the sampling tube and the other end for contacting theocean bottom during penetration of the sampling tube.

4. An ocean bottom penetration sampling device comprising incombination:

a perforated barrel frame having an upper end, a lower end, and alongitudinal bore opening through the lower end;

a perforated sampling tube telescopically disposed within the bore ofthe barrel frame and having an upper end and a lower end;

a sampling tube head for receivinga driving force to cause penetrationof the sampling tube, the head being engaged to the barrel frame withinthe bore and having a bottom end connected to the upper end of thesampling tube;

a spring means connected to the sampling tube for upwardly biasing thesampling tube after penetration of the tube into the ocean bottom; and

a means for actuating the driving force.

5. An ocean bottom penetration sampling device as claimed in claim 4including:

a removable and slidable end plate having an inner and outer peripherysealably connected at its outer periphery to the perforated barrel framenear the lower end and at its inner periphery to the sampling tube;

said sampling tube and said barrel frame being spaced so as to form achamber therebetween and between the end plate and the bottom end of thehead, said chamber to remain at a low pressure relative to theenvironmental sea pressure during descent of the sampling device to theocean bottom, and wherein said means for actuating the driving forcecomprises:

a passageway communicating the environmental sea pressure and the head;and a valve connected to the sampling device for opening and closingsaid passageway whereby the driving force is actuated by opening saidpassageway to the environmental sea pressure. 6. An ocean bottompenetration sampling device as claimed in claim 5 wherein:

said head comprises a large force bearing surface and a small forcebearing surface each surface sealably engaging the barrel frame duringthe descent of the sampling device and the environmental sea pressureacting upon the small surface during descent and upon the large and thesmall surfaces during penetration of the sampling tube; and saidpassageway communicating with the large force bearing surface. 7. Anocean bottom penetration sampling device as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

the perforation of the barrel frame comprises an opening through itsupper end, said opening communicating with the bore; and said springmeans is a compression spring disposed about the sampling tube andhaving two ends, one end connected to the head, the other end connectedto the barrel frame. 8. An ocean ibottom penetration sampling device asclaimed in claim 4 wherein:

the means for causing the driving force when the force is pressure froman explosion comprising:

an explosion initiator connected to an explosive element for causingsaid element to explode; and a switch means connected to the explosioninitiator for actuating the explosive initiator; and the upper end ofsaid barrel frame being closed. 9. An ocean bottom penetration samplingdevice as claim in claim 8 wherein:

the perforation of said barrel frame is a multiple series of apertures;and

the perforation of said sampling tube is a multiple series of apertures,whereby said barrel and said tube are adapted to pass water through saidapertures.

10. An ocean bottom penetration sampling device as claimed in claim 9including:

an abutment connected to the barrel frame and disposed within the boreof the barrel; and wherein said spring means is a compression springconnected at one end to the bottom end of the piston head and at theother end to the abutment, said spring disposed about the sampling tubeand within the barrel bore. 11. An ocean bottom penetration samplingdevice as claimed in claim 4 including:

an expendable core cutter connected to the lower end of the samplingtube during penetration of the sampling tube and separated from thesampling tube upon removal of the tube from the ocean bottom; andwherein the lower end of said sampling tube is slotted and bendable,whereby the reaction to the force of penetration bends the lower end ofsaid sampling tube for retaining a core sample.

'12. An ocean bottom penetration sampling device as claimed in claim 4including:

a lifting means connected to said barrel frame for returning saidsampling device to the ocean surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,665,885 l/l954 Gignoux 17563,078,931 2/ 1963 Moore 17S5 3,295 ,6-16 l/ 1967 Charlton 1'75--53,299,969 1/ 1967 -Inderbitzen 175-5 3,301,336 1/1967 Mount 175-53,313,357 4/1967 Venghiatis 175--6 3,331,453 7/1967 Kermabon 175-6 NILEC. BYERS. JR., Primary Examiner.

